Eternal Sunshine
Label Head and Rapper 'P-Duble' Has Utilized Optimism and Faith in Jesus Christ to make his 'Pike Street Music Group' One of the New Hip-Hop Powerhouses.
A s the founder and CEO of Ohio based Pike Street Music Group Keith Scarlett has done exactly the opposite of what many Christian Music Entrepreneurs (or 'ministers,' as he likes to be called instead) have done. Known as the rapper, P-Duble, Scarlett has firmly planted his feet in a music industry that often catches people slipping.
The thirty-four year old 'minister' began his run as a young MC freestylin' throughout the city of Indianapolis and across the region for anyone that would listen. Seeing that the field held more risk than reward, Scarlett stepped away from a partnership with two childhood friends to start doing things on his own in 1992. But dealing with himself taught Scarlett a valuable lesson. "When you sign a group, that's a lot of work," explains Scarlett. "Since it's you, it's even harder. Because the market was radio-driven and it's harder to break into rap, it's got to be something special."
Something special would come in the form of a "happenstance-meeting" with one of the hottest artists and producers in the Midwest ; Ty Wills.
"My wife and I were Christmas shopping in the City Center Mall in downtown Columbus , when I walked into this airbrush shop and saw these flyers advertising a studio specializing in hop-hop for only $25.00," stated -Duble. "So, I figured why not…it's worth checking-out for that price…"
P-Duble quickly realized that Will's set-up was just right and that Ty Wills had the experience to help re-start what had previously been a dormant voice for the past 7 years. His first release in August 2006, "No One," has gone on to become an underground staple in the Christian hip-hop market. P-Duble would continue to build a following through shows and appearances and then really developed a buzz with his May 2007 EP, "My Album About Me." This 6-track joint, including the club hit, "No Trouble" has begun to put P-Duble as a nationwide entity.
Using the blueprints laid by Southern rap
CEO's like Rap-A-Lot's James Prince, Suave House's Tony Draper, No Limit's
Master P and Slip-n-Slide's Ted Lucas, P-Duble and his label, pike Street
Music, has begun to become a force and is even in negotiation for a
distribution deal with Koch Records. Powerful chart performances by "No Trouble" and the other hit single
from the newest
release, "Round-n-Round,"
have started to set the stage for P-Duble to take-hold of a post-Babyface and
post-Bone Thugs Midwest.
"The success hasn't really surprised me, because the Lord can make all things happen," says -dub confidently. "But I wanted to make sure that it didn't become a one-hit wonder. Anything you build for the Lord has to have a foundation and that foundation is scripture and being firmly rooted in the Lord's doctrine. So we made sure the hometown people believed us. We made sure we became the best that we can and let the Lord take it on from there."
Soon, P-dub had earned a unique reputation as an artist that had a street persona and radio-friendly music. Building on the previous projects, P-dub's first-full-length release in almost a decade; If I Die… , is completed and he has chosen to bring an even harder edge to his sound, while still maintaining his mainstream accessibility. P-Duble's breakthrough singles off the new project may just be the ones that he has been hard at work trying to perfect, and with a cameo from platinum hip-hop artist Mims, as well as the talented T-Huzzie, Ty Wills, BW + LX and Luppy – this release, may set a new standard in the Christian hip-hop world.
P-Duble rates this past year as on the best, but 2008 will be holding its own challenges. While he will be releasing his new and first, full-length release in more than 10 years; Pike Street music is also branching-off and creating Kaulipepper Klik Productions: the production arm…and opening-up other aspiring artists' access to the production and beat-making that has thus-far been only behind the lyrics of P-Duble.
It's that opportunistic outlook that keeps P-dub from slippin'. "Hip Hop is all about opportunity; opportunity to spread the message of Jesus Christ to those that need it," he says. "People say it's dying, but that's coming from people who don't take advantage of opportunities."
"I wanted to make sure that it didn't become a one-hit wonder. So we made sure the hometown people believed us." - P-Duble
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Pike Street Music - Colossians 3:17
http://pduble.bravehost.com
http://www.myspace.com/pikestreetm usicpduble
P-Duble's newest release "If I Die..." - 6/1/08!!!!!!
There are some changes about to hit the music world soon and we want you to be the first to know. On June 1st, one of the more unique and edgier albums to hit the streets will drop.
So what does this mean for you?
Well, most
importantly, you'll be able to download the entire project for free for
a limited-time.
You'll be able to access ringtones, photos and wall-paper; all for free
and only for a limited time window.. Just keep your eyes open and
watching not only your e-mail, but also checking the website:
...for more information.
This is all
in celebration of an album project more than a year in the making and
what may be the final release from a veteran MC who has been spreading
the gospel for more than 15 years. P-Duble's newest full-length
release, titled: "If I Die..." is all set and ready to drop.. This
Christian rap project is hard and rolls with a significant edge with a
strong foundation in the scripture. Easy, right? Wrong! With many
hours of writing, rewriting, recording, rerecording, etc....the project
is strapped for those caught deep in the street game and may just be
one of the edgier and harder Christian rap projects to have been
released since the early 1990's releases from S. S. Mob, the CMC's and
the Gospel Gangsters.
This project
includes 20 tracks and features cameos from the likes of Bridget
Winterman, T-Huzzie, Ty Wills, Heavyweight, BW + LX, Mims and Luppy.
Produced by the Kaulipepper Klik and co-produced by Quite Stankable
Productions in conjunction with Stay Beat Music, the tracks are not
only bangin', but the hooks are catchy and the delivery is on-point and
constructed. This new release is not for the faint of heart, as it
delves deep into subject matter than many turn their heads away from
and may not even know exists, especially existing for the those whom
have been saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ.
We're really excited about the changes that we feel the Lord is planning to bring with this new project and we hope you are too. Remember, the Lord works in mysterious ways and even those trapped in the deepest of the concrete jungles need to hear the gospel and in a way they can relate to.
In Him,
Keith Scarlett
P-Duble and the entire Pike Street Music ministry team